I find it interesting that everyone finds a routine on vacation…some way to make the uncomfortable comfortable. Even in the smallest ways, like always sitting at the same table in the dining room at breakfast. For the last three days, I’ve noticed that the same people always come down at the same time and sit in the exact same spots. It’s gotten so predictable, that we even made friends with an older couple from England…Yasmin and Martin.
We noticed that all of the cars in Iceland are electric or at least hybrid. Apparently, Iceland has always been on the cutting edge for implementing and buying in to environmental protection. Everywhere we go, they push the green initiative. It’s really cool to see an entire country caring more about protecting the environment than making money off oil.
Our destination today was Reyniysfjara Beach, so we headed south along the coast. It was finally a beautiful sunny day, and the drive was absolutely gorgeous. The mountains outside of Reykjavík had received a powdering of snow, so we were greeted with white everywhere.
Once we got to the other side, the scenery changed to stunning views of green with smatterings of golds, browns, and blacks. The contrasts were striking. Small waterfalls trickled down at various cracks in the rocks, and the pink and yellow sunrise made the perfect backdrop to the beautiful cliffs.
About a half an hour before we got to Reyniysfjara Beach, we happened upon a giant waterfall just off the side of the highway. We hadn’t even planned to visit Skógafoss, but it was too beautiful to pass up. The water was plummeting into a large pool below that almost looked like a mini lake. The pool then ran off in a river away from the site. This time, we kept our distance from the spray, so we didn’t get drenched again, not that we could have gotten too close anyway. What made this waterfall unique was the narrow and steep staircase, winding up the side of the mountain to an observation deck overlooking the waterfall. Being short on time, we didn’t go up there, but it looked cool.
The sun was beginning its descent when we finally pulled into Reyniysfjara Beach, making for breathtaking views over the crashing waves. The place was packed with people, hoping to get a photograph of the black sand beaches, unique rock formations, and basalt cliffs. Lava rocks dotted the black sand as a constant reminder that this whole place owed its existence to the volcanoes on the island. As we tried to get our own unique photos, a wave unexpectedly crashed into the rocks next to us and drenched us all. With the biting wind instantly freezing our wet clothes, it was pretty miserable after that. The sun was setting anyway, so we opted to just call it a day.
After the long drive back, we topped off our day with hotdogs and hamburgers from Pittu Bram? I think the cold and damp has finally caught up with me. I feel like I have a cold. I guess it’s better at the end of the trip than the beginning, but it still sucks.
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